Sāṃkhya-Kārikā | The Roots of Yoga
What is it about?
One of India’s oldest philosophies, Sāṃkhya is an enquiry into the origins of the universe. Quite a program!
It is considered the “sister” school of yoga because it lays the foundations of the yoga system. Anyone with a keen interest in Patañjali’s Yoga-Sūtra eventually gravitates towards Sāṃkhya study.
The main text of Sāṃkhya is the Sāṃkhya-Kārikā, a collection of 72 verses presenting essential concepts such as the two-fold nature of reality (matter and consciousness), the evolution of Nature, the 3 causes of suffering, the structure of the mind, the 10 “gross” and “subtle” elements, the 11 sense organs, the 3 constituents of Nature, and more. The text will be explained verse by verse in the context of yoga, with the support of study material.
The Teacher
Valerie Fimat-Faneco has been studying and teaching the texts of Yoga philosophy for many years: Yoga-Sūtra, Haṭha-Yoga-Pradīpika, Sāṃkhya, Gheranda-Saṃhita, Yoga-Makaranda, and others. In 2012 she translated a commentary of the Yoga-Sūtra based on Mr Desikachar’s and Professor Krishnamacharya’s teachings, written in French by her mentor Frans Moors. Valerie has also been practicing and teaching Vedic chanting for many years. She has been offering tuition in Yoga philosophy live and by video-conference since 2013.